BttF Statement on City’s Rejection of Reduced Residential Speed Limit

On July 18, 2012, Winnipeg City Council asked staff for a report on reducing speed limits to 40 km/hr. Last Friday, January 11th, the City of Winnipeg’s Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works Committee considered a report on this motion from the City Administration recommending that the residential speed limit NOT be lowered to 40 km/h and concurred with its recommendation. Bike to the Future spoke in favour of the motion. In fact,

We strongly recommend that the City set a 30 kph speed limit on residential streets, unless otherwise posted.

Please read BttF`s statement in support of the motion for reduced residential speed limits, and our criticism of the report that recommended against this motion.

The recommendation from Public Works was based largely on their interpretation of a report on the results of an Edmonton pilot program on reduced residential speed limits. As this graphic from the report on Edmonton’s pilot program indicates, the communities that piloted the reduced speed zones in fact showed a significant decrease in mean speeds that continued to trend downwards while speed in the control group communities continue to rise.

“Before” and “After” Average of Mean Speed by Community Groups from Edmonton Pilot